The Black Cat Prince
by mellie711
Summary: (AU) Once Upon a Time, as all fairy tales begin, lived a Prince who was cursed-Awaiting the day His Lady would arrive and make a Red String Vow to break his bonds. But the mind-numbing Hawkmoth needs two fated souls for his plan, and will stop at nothing to revive his lost Queen. With destiny on their side, will our heroes defeat the evil and break the curse of the Black Prince?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: Warnings of mentions of blood and ****description**** of death. Otherwise, please enjoy this story inspired by The Swan Princess(1994 movie). Thank you so much to my beta reader, and let me know what you all think~ 3 mellie**

Prologue-

-The Start of a Fairy Tale-

_Once Upon a Time…_

_There was a mighty and luscious kingdom that was was ruled over by the sweet Queen Emilie and the soft-hearted King Gabriel Agreste. But there was one thing these two were missing for most of their lives - an heir to the throne. _

_After trying many, many times, Queen Emilie finally grew swollen with child and eventually, a prince was born to this wonderful kingdom. King Gabriel was most joyous, realizing that his son could take over as King one day. They named him, Adrien, for this prince gave the King and Queen much wealth in their hearts. _

_From all over the surrounding lands, royals from the other kingdoms came to bring gifts and wish good fortune over the young prince. One such pair of royals was Duchess Sabine Cheng and Duke Tom Dupain, who were rulers of a small kingdom in the East. They too just celebrated the birth of their child, a daughter; Lady Marinette Regina Dupain-Cheng. _

_Upon giving their gift of a beautiful silver ring to the young boy, a miraculous thought spread between the four adults. Their children would be perfect for one another. Thus, every summer the families would come together in hopes that a marriage would form to unite the kingdoms and bring everlasting peace. _

_But, tragedy always has a way of ruining the best laid plans. _

"Adrien, you flea-bitten tomcat! Stop leaving things in my seat!"

Lady Marinette stomped her foot as Prince Adrien and his best friend, Lady Chloe, laughed hysterically at her predicament. Her fluffy pink dress had a large slice of frosted pastry stuck to her rear, from where Adrien might have… probably… placed one in her seat.

Every summer since they turned five, Lady Marinette and Prince Adrien came together in hopes that they would fall in love. But for the pass nine years, Marinette has tried to convince her mother that there was no way she would marry him. Adrien constantly pranked, left out, and down right bullied Marinette, while she responded in kind. She was not going to put up with being the center of his craziness.

Grabbing a handful of frosting from her backside, Marinette flung the squished cake towards her tormentors, and let loose a hearty laugh at their faces when cake met skin.

And thus started a food fight in the middle of the great hall.

As food was flying between the three teens, King Gabriel sighed heavily, turning to Duke Tom who was taking a sorrowful bite of his meal. They had all grown used to these interactions, and it was wishful thinking to hope that it would stop.

"Are we really truly sure about this? It has been nine years now and nothing really has changed."

It was Duchess Sabine, who was smiling brightly with no care in the world, that responded, "Oh Your Majesty, you have to pay attention to the finer details." She turned to Queen Emile, who was trying to hold back laughter under her breath. "Wouldn't you agree with me, dear?"

Flashing her legendary warming smile, Queen Emile nodded at the Duchess. "Once they are a bit older, love will blossom. It is fate, after all!"

Placing a reassuring hand on her husband's, Emile squeezed it. "Trust us, love." Though, after she spoke, she began to cough a bit into her napkin. There was some slight blood spots on the fabric, but Queen Emile brushed it off as she folded the napkin back into her lap.

King Gabriel turned his attention at the now cake, salmon, and whatever else covered teenagers. "Alright you three, break it up. Head to the bathhouse to get that nasty mess off of you. I don't want to see hair nor high of any crumbs when you get back."

They all groaned loudly, rising up from their seats. Lady Chloe raced out first, but Adrien took this opportunity to push Marinette through the door, causing her to trip over her long dress. Not wanting to seem too cruel, he extended his hand, only for the Lady to swat it away.

"Don't touch me, you tomcat!" screamed Marinette, determined to stick with her nickname for the young Prince, as he never keeps his hair right and always smells like moldy cheese.

"You are just like a tiny little ladybug, _My Lady," _Prince Adrien commented, "easy to pick at!" Even though, Adrien was starting to feel… something... for his most hated summer companion. She has become somewhat of a flirt with the guards, her body was filling out, and she getting quite good at the fencing lessons they took together. All of these little things Adrien was noticing made him gag. He can **not **fall for her. Marinette was too much of a pain in his ass.

Every time she arrived, he had to kiss her on the hand. Every day from June until August, they had to spend time together somehow. It was a good thing Adrien made friends with Lady Chloe last year, who was now living in this kingdom with her family. Adding Chloe made torturing Marinette even more fun. They would secluded her from their treehouse, plan amazing pranks, and overall make the girl's summer as miserable as they could. Though, she always fought back, which Adrien secretly loved. Chloe was a little more mean to Marinette than Adrien enjoyed, but he couldn't help but laugh with his best friend.

It was the end of August now, and Adrien was pacing back and forth in front of Marinette's room.

_This summer was a bit different then the others_, Adrien thought. He didn't really want to do extreme pranks like he usually did, but instead just enjoyed talking to Marinette. They even stayed up discussing each other's favorite musicians one night, though the Prince never let Chloe know that.

He was waiting on the Lady to finish getting dressed for their traditional end-of-summer celebration, which really was an excuse to play some more pranks on each other or cause some chaos for the palace staff. Chloe was waiting for him at the ballroom with a bucket of cold water to splash on Marinette.

But here he is… waiting for her.

Because his father demanded it; because his mother asked him nicely.

His mother.

Adrien stopped his back and forth to gather his thoughts on the declining health of the Queen. She told him not to bring it up anymore, but he did see her coughing up a large amount of blood the other night. She has been very sick lately too, keeping to her quarters and having the doctor come in every week or so. His father is brushing it off as the flu, but Adrien had a terrible feeling.

The sound of a door opening caused the young prince to turn around and see… _her_.

Marinette had her hair tucked in a braid, the raven color causing her pale face to glow. Her eyes… _were they always that sparkling blue?_

The red dress she picked out actually highlighted her wonderfully. _Did her chest grow over the summer that quick? When did those hips come in?_

Adrien flashed his eyes back up to the girl- no _woman's_ face, noticing her reddish cheeks.

"Wh-what are you staring at, you-you tomcat," Lady Marinette stuttered out, turning her head away from his piercing gaze.

Adrien smiled and felt a slight flutter in his stomach.

"You… you look very beautiful, My Lady," he said, his bravery getting the better of him.

Marinette's posture snapped her back, and she stomped out into the hallway. She punched Adrien in the arm - _hard_ \- and took her place beside him. As Adrien rubbed his now sore arm, his stomach began to do backflips once more and the skin on his cheeks began to betray his thoughts with a rosy hue.

"Th-thank you, Prince Adrien," her voice was a whisper, but Adrien heard her nonetheless.

He couldn't let Chloe throw water on this person. It-it would ruin that dress.

"I'll meet you in the ballroom!" Adrien cried, running off in a sprint.

Standing there in the quiet corridor, Marinette began to rub her cheeks to cool the flames on them. _What has gotten into that boy?_ But Marinette noticed how handsome he looked in his formal prince uniform, his golden shoulder tassels and black tunic caused her imagination to wander. She shook her head of her thoughts. Was something wrong with her?

That's when Marinette realized how eerily quiet the world around her was.

Sure many staff were helping with the celebration, but at least others are supposed to be tending to other matters of the palace.

Lady Marinette felt a chill up her spine, just as a blood-curdling scream reverberated throughout the hallways.

She ran the opposite direction of Adrien, towards the entrance of the palace. A crowd of maids, butlers, and ushers blocked her view. Marinette pushed through them to the front stairs. There, she came upon an image that would haunt her dreams for many years to come.

Queen Emile was dead, body laid out on the stone walkway. Blood was pouring from her mouth, her eyes were ghosted over, and King Gabriel was crying over her like a weeping babe.

Her own parents were huddled with one another at the side of the entryway, their own tears pouring down like rain. Frozen from terror, Marinette watched as King Gabriel cradled his wife's corpse in his arms, lifting her up. He walked forward, eyes straight, into the crowd. The people parted to let him pass, the air still and fragmented like a heavy storm cloud. Marinette raced into her parents arms, feeling their warm embrace around her. When she saw the crowd dispersing, she realized that Adrien was standing on the footsteps of the castle, looking right at her. He must have just gotten there, for Chloe was coming up behind him with a smile, only for it to be replaced with a whole mouth gasp.

The fated lovers locked eyes for what seemed like an entirety, unable to move towards one another, whether from fear or shock. From the inside of the castle, two brute guards prepared to close the large doors, cutting off Marinette's line of sight from the boy she loved to pick on.

It was from that moment on that Lady Marinette and Prince Adrien did not see one another for over 7 years…

_But what was born that day, was King Gabriel's lust for answers. The nights following Queen Emile's death, Gabriel spoke to no one, hardly ate, and spent his time in the deepest part of the library pouring over pages and pages of the magical arts. One dark and stormy night, the King drank a potion in order to expand his magical knowledge even further. _

_What emerged from the King's mind that night became known as Hawkmoth. An apathetic, psychotic manic fueled only by the desire to bring Emile back. This part of Gabriel's personality instantly devised a plan, a spell that requires two fated souls in order to revive one perfect one. Since Hawkmoth was part of King Gabriel, this personality retreated back into the broken hearted king, biding his time until he found the two souls he needed. _

_But periodically, for unknown reasons, King Gabriel would leave for days or even weeks on end. Prince Adrien would be by himself, with only Chloe or his mentor, Natalie, to keep him company. It was obvious the king canceled the supposed arranged marriage between Adrien and Marinette, on account of the obvious state of affairs. _

_That was until Prince Adrien's 21st birthday, when King Gabriel forcibly told his son that they were going to hold a big masquerade ball and have many princesses and ladies from all over the lands for Adrien to find his future wife. For what better way to find the one you are fated for, then to meet her under a mask._


	2. Even After All These Years

Chapter One

-Even After All These Years-

"You have **got** to be kidding me."

Prince Adrien Agreste stared at himself in the mirror, a black cat mask strapped to the side of his head by two pieces of string. The mask was made of a simple clay makeup, and even had little cat like ears sticking from the top of it. But why a cat?! A _black_ cat, to be more specific? Was his father trying to make sure he never got a wife?

Natalie, her form stiff, held one eyebrow up in bewilderment towards her lifelong student. She thought he had figured out the connection already.

"What's wrong with it? Your father thought it was a good idea since your mother's favorite animal was a black cat."

Adrien froze, shooting his gaze towards Natalie, "I-I never knew that."

Natalie just nodded in a response, angling her head away from the the Prince so he didn't see her rising anger towards King Gabriel.

Adrien turned back to the mirror, grabbing the mask from his head and staring at it with a new worldly gaze. His mother's favorite animal, huh? Queen Emile's wonderful and memorable smile flashed through his mind, causing his own sorrowful smile to grow in response. Seven years is a very long time, but he knew that without a doubt, his mother would be so happy to see her son prepare for his future. Adrien's eyes darted to the silver ring that was on his left middle finger, and his mind cursed him with another face that he could never forget.

Lady Marinette.

He started wearing the ring her parents gifted to him at his birth about three years ago, realizing it fit perfectly. The irony, now with this new information, is that the ring was torch-burned with a paw print mark on the band. A revelation suddenly hit him.

_I could see her tonight_, he thought. He didn't think to ask before now, but surely even if she was married, she would come to see him.

A tangle of nerves jumped through his stomach, and the Prince gripped his left hand in a tight fist in order to calm himself.

Making a slight snort at the circumstance, the Prince placed his mask back on letting the cool feeling of the clay rest on his face. His bright jade eyes shone through the black, balancing perfectly with each other. Adrien straightened out his honor medal covered sash that hung on his chest, the black tunic Natalie picked did work with his new persona.

He completely turned around with a large smile and excitement prickling his skin

"Let's go, Natalie."

They exited Adrien's room, walking side-by-side towards the large celebration that awaited them. Two knights guarded the massive double red doors. Laughter and music floated out to greet them.

"Remember your father will not be appearing here tonight, so make sure you behave appropriately," his mentor stated, pulling herself back from Prince Adrien as he came up to the doors. "Do not forget either, that after tonight, you must declare your future wife from among the single royal women that have gathered here."

With a hefty sigh, Adrien merely nodded. He should have expected this. Even so, he held some small hope that his father would actually be there for his birthday.

_What makes this year different than the pass seven?_ His bitter thoughts echoed.

Commanding his guards to open the door, Prince Adrien walked through the threshold onto the edge of a overlook, with grand staircases on either side of him. He watched many masked people waltzing in the center of the hardwood floor, a live orchestra keeping the melody upbeat.

The Marshall knocked a large staff on the floor, causing a hush to roll through the ballroom.

"Announcing His Royal Highness, Prince Adrien Alexander Agreste."

The harmony of the orchestra shifted to _Voces de Primavera _as Prince Adrien made his way down the stairs. He felt thousands of eyes on his approaching form, but he kept a regal face. The bodies of people shifted their waltz, taking the route of switching partners mid twirl. With a leap of faith and a silent prayer to his mother, the Prince joined in as someone was reaching for a partner from the surrounding crowd.

Clasping hands and leading the mysterious woman forward, Adrien studied his partner before he was suppose to led her to another. She was a rather brute looking woman, with an elephant mask that had a long trunk. She smelled of earthly cabbage and her whole belly laugh shook Adrien's own body, causing his eyes to rattle in their sockets.

"'Em Pur'iencess Ivica, Your Maj'esty," the woman introduced in a thick accent, reaching down Adrien's back and grabbing his rear with a tight squeeze.

With a startled yelp, Adrien grabbed the woman's hand away from his backside and responded as kindly as he could.

"Nice to meet you, Princess Ivica."

With a quick turn, Adrien traded partners with another and hoped Ivica would find someone else who would enjoy her forwardness. This new dance partner was quite a contrast from the first, a giant-like woman with large broad shoulders wearing a fish mask. One of the scales was coming off, and a fin was barely hanging on to her face. Obviously it was made in a haste. The woman was also extremely stiff, taking it upon herself to glance down at their feet to keep up.

"Hello there," Adrien offered with a smile as they kept moving.

The woman finally looked into his eyes, whispering, "Hey, can you slow down a bit? Princess Kimberly has trouble keeping up."

Raising his eyebrow in curiosity, Adrien countered, "You're… Princess Kimberly?"

Replying with a simple and rather blunt, "Yes," Princess Kimberly reverted back to looking down at their feet.

'_Keep a happy face, keep a happy face_,' the mantra echoed in the Prince's head, almost to the tune of the music.

Letting go of Princess Kimberly and reaching for another, the song slowed down in tune almost instantaneously. This woman was just a head shorter than Adrien, with a sparkling smile that made his knees feel weak. Her mask was in the colors of a ladybug, which caused her crisp blue eyes to sparkle like diamonds. A familiar feeling struck him at his core, and he made note of her beautifully braided black hair.

They formed together perfectly, his hand on her hip and the other gripping her own like a puzzle piece. She flashed him another smile, leaning up to whisper in his ear.

"Hey, Tomcat."

Adrien felt his heart lunge into his throat, its' beat drowning out the orchestra as they continued on the dancefloor. She..-no she couldn't be. His voice was raspy, but he had to know.

"M-my Lady?"

She winked, letting him spin her in a soft twirl. They didn't notice that many of the crowd stopped to watch them dance, or that the music was at a slower pace.

"You still dance wonderfully, Tomcat," Lady Marinette spoke again, keeping her eyes locked on Adrien's own. "I missed this," she admitted, tightening her grip on his hand. Her head leaned onto his shoulder, resting on it. He could feel her breath tickling the side of his face, causing the beats that drummed in his ears to throb faster.

"I missed you," he replied, "It's been really lonely here without you."

He felt her breath hitch at his words. "I'm so sorry; I heard your father has been… absent… often."

She lifted her head up to look him in the eye, a sparkle of something more unspoken shot between them.

"I wish I could have been here for you," Lady Marinette whispered, as she placed a soft peck of her lips on his cheek, "I would have made sure you never felt alone again."

Adrien tightened his hold on her, almost begging her to promise her words.

"You are here now, though."

Unlike his younger self, Prince Adrien accepted the warm feeling and comfort from being around this wonderful woman. Determination and courage fueled him, and he knew what he needed to do.

"And I never want to let you go again."

As the music slowed, Adrien and Marinette pulled away from one another, each having uneven breaths due to dancing. Their matched smiles were like spring flowers in bloom, and when their arms dropped to their sides, the music stopped completely. Adrien grabbed Marinette's hand in his own and lifted it up to the air to face the crowd.

"I have decided!"

The ballroom grew completely still as they hung on Adrien's next few words.

"I shall marry Lady Marinette."

Prince Adrien drew his attention back to his lady, asking quietly, "Will you marry me, Lady Marinette Regina Dupain-Cheng?"

Tears of joy began to swell in Marinette's eyes, and she brought her hands together while her head nodded uncontrollably, "Of course I will, Prince Adrien Agreste. You have grown into a very handsome man since we last saw one another."

"Wait," he retreated his hand, "-What did you just say?"

Marinette lowered her hands, tilting her head in confusion at him.

"You are a very handsome man?"

His eyes narrowed in bewilderment, unsure what just occurred. What kind of woman has she become over these lost years?

"Is that all you see in me?" He had to ask, the words trying to catch in his throat.

Her eyes blinked, once, twice, three times. Obviously taken-aback, she shook her head, "Of course not, you tomcat. But, you _are_ very handsome, you know?"

"You don't have to keep saying it," Adrien hardened his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.

Marinette rolled her eyes in response, tapping her foot to her annoyance.

"Well, what the hell else do you want me to say?!"

"I don't know! Something else!"

Her foot stomped, like she was fourteen again. "You were always so infuriating!"

Letting out a loud groan, Adrien turned his back to Marinette and walked toward the kitchen side entrance, passing through the crowd of very bewildered individuals. Marinette responded with a expressed huff, heading in the opposite direction.

Under the staircase stood a man cloaked in shadow with his black, hooded cape hiding him from sight. A glimmer from his silver butterfly mask shone as he tilted his head towards the light.

Hawkmoth was in control.

He waited so long for this moment, for this reveal of the two fated souls. _Of course, it would be those two._ It was as though Emilie herself was sending her blessing. Hawkmoth decided the time was at hand. He swept his cloak dramatically behind him as he departed towards the outside gardens. His plan was now able to begin, and he didn't care if his own son was going to get hurt in the process.

King Gabriel was trying to scream his way through to alert anyone, desperate to find a way to prevent the death of the one thing keeping him tied to this mortal world.

Hawkmoth only drew a cruel smirk as the full moon parted from the midnight clouds.


	3. Reacquainted

**Chapter Two**

_-Reacquainted- _

**_Author's note: Thank you to all who have enjoyed this story, as well as keeping up with The Princess and The Prince Thief. You all are truly wonderful people! Thank you to my beta-reader. Please enjoy this chapter, and let me know your thoughts in a comment. _**

The night rolled on with dark, heavy clouds strolling through the sky. They were full of an oncoming storm, and many visitors had already left the ball in order to race the rain. Prince Adrien sat in the library off towards the east wing of the castle, his mask forgotten in a trash bin beside him. His hands supported his face, the aura surrounding him full of regret and dread. He rested in a rounded chair, the table under his elbows was weighed down by stacks of dusty old books.

Natalie was standing aloft, watching some trickles of rain tap onto the wide window beside her. Her arms were crossed, one of her feet was tapping now to the sound of the clock on the wall as if she was contemplating what to do. Eventually, she let out a loud huff, threw her arms above her head and turned towards her student.

"What the hell were you thinking?!"

Adrien responded with a deep throat groan, dropping his hands and giving a sharp look to his teacher, "Look, I wanted to see what else she thought of me, that's all."

"Oh yes, you should call that, _Prince Adrien's Guide on How to Insult Someone in 10 Seconds or Less__,_" Natalie responded sarcastically, rolling her eyes and placing her hands on her hips. "I'm pretty sure only you would get offended at someone who said you were handsome."

The Prince let his head drop, face first, onto the wooden table, then turned it to the side to say, "I think I really messed things up."

A hard knock at the door startled the two, and in walked Lady Chloe, who had a large grin on her face. She was humming a tune, swaying back and forth like she just came from the ballroom. The blonde woman was just as tall as Adrien now, her hair pulled back in a tight, high ponytail. She was still dressed for the occasion, with an elegant yellow and black puffy dress that highlighted her feminine form.

"I have to hand it to you, Adrikins. When you said you were going to marry **her** I honestly thought you were serious at first," Chloe erupted in such a hardy laugh that a lone tear began to roll down her cheek, causing her to wipe it away as her laugh came to an end.

Prince Adrien rose his head up from the table, slapped his hand onto his forehead and drew his face down as his hand stretched out his skin. He really did not want to deal with Chloe right now; he had been purposefully avoiding her all night. She never really let go of the fact that Lady Marinette used to be their easy-to-pick-at ladybug. He let out a heavy sigh, "No, Chloe. **I do plan to marry her**. We just had a misunderstanding, is all."

Lady Chloe grew rigid at his statement.

"Excuse me, did I just hear you right?"

Chloe, in a long stride, marched over to stand in front of Adrien on the other side of the table. She slapped her hands down on the wood, the noise echoing in the quiet space. "You are going to marry Ladybug? Annoying, whiny, and stupid Ladybug?!"

The Prince shot up in defense, his chair getting pushed back. Yes, when they were kids, she was an annoying, tiny ladybug. But now, Marinette has become much more in his eyes. Adrien felt the need to defend her at all costs.

"Don't call her that anymore, _Lady_ Chloe. And yes, I want to and she said yes. How difficult is this for you to understand?"

Chloe's face flared up, and she drew close to Adrien's own, "You don't even know her anymore, _Your Highness_."

A strike of lighting lit up the shadows behind Prince Adrien, and then a clap of thunder followed what seemed like seconds later. The storm was now here, the very loud downpour on the windows confirming that fact. The air in the library was at a standstill, laced with uneasiness and stone-like tension. Green eyes locked with blue ones, each not willing to back down

"Prince Adrien, sire."

With the soft voice breaking the tension, the Prince turned his head to see one of the house maids, Rose, standing in the doorway. She looked worried, clinging her hands together in front of her in some sort of reassurance. Obviously she was trying to find the right moment to say something, having stood there during their argument.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sire, but Lady Marinette wishes to see you in her chambers."

"Thank you, Rose," the Prince nodded and flashed her a sincere smile, before he dropped it quickly to face his best friend again. He placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. The Lady's response was unyielding, with eyebrows turned inward. Adrien felt a parting few words were in order to make sure his only friend calmed down while he was away.

"I promise to be right back. Try to say congratulations to me next time, okay?"

As Prince Adrien began to follow Rose out of the library, the storm almost screamed louder outside, as if trying to warn him of the dangers to come.

* * *

Lady Marinette paced back and forth in the front of her bedroom fireplace, the warmth of the cracking fire unfolded throughout the room. She decided to stay at the palace until tomorrow evening, to wait out this storm and to make sure that no debris hindered her travels.

Marinette was fidgeting with her hands, which were just as restless as her thoughts. It was only a matter of time before Adrien was going to arrive, and she still didn't know what she was going to say. '_I'm sorry?' 'You are wonderful?_' No matter what she came up with, nothing seemed right. Plus, the haunting fact that strapped itself to the back of her head was…

She really didn't know who Adrien was anymore.

Seven years was a long time, and he could have changed into someone completely different. Her mother encouraged her to come to this gathering in the first place, the Duchess still convinced that they are perfect for one another. At first, Marinette was reluctant to come, the horrors these walls acquired that last day she was here only just left her nightmares. But, her mother told her the stories of how King Gabriel locked down the palace, placing Prince Adrien under a sort of house arrest keeping him from attending the various get-togethers of the surrounding lands. Lady Marinette knew that she needed to see her Tomcat, not truly expecting to him to state his marriage proposal. But, it seems destiny made sure their reunion was a special one indeed.

"Lady Marinette?"

The raven haired woman turned to her doorway to see one of the young house maids, she believed was named Rose, flashing a large smile in her direction. The maid nodded her head in acknowledgement and parted from the door as she spoke.

"Prince Adrien is here to see you now."

Oh, no. It was time.

Marinette felt frozen and full of dread as she watched Prince Adrien come into the room. Her heart kept beating faster and faster, but as soon as Adrien flashed her a familiar smirk; air shot back into her lungs.

"Good evening, My Lady," Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous tick. _Well that was one thing that hasn't changed about him_, Marinette thought in observation.

"Good evening, Prince Adrien," she responded back, bowing her head low in respect. With that simple greeting, Marinette came to know exactly what she needed to say.

"I'm… very sorry if I said something to upset you. I understand if you want to postpone the engagement, but-" Marinette gave him a half smile, "I meant it when I said I missed you, Tomcat."

A melodious laugh erupted from Adrien as he made his way past her. He ended up taking a seat, collapsing in one of the large leather chairs by the fire. Marinette noted how truly tired he looked, the bags under his eyes showing his lack of sleep. _What was keeping him up at night?_ She wondered.

"I have missed you very much, too," he stated, indicating to the other seat across from him for Marinette to take. She quickly sat down, the excitement to reconnect with him overtaking her.

"I thought it was funny you still stomp your feet when you are mad," Adrien chuckled, leaning his hand into his chin. His eyes danced around Marinette's form, causing a blush to form across her face. She took this time to notice the way he now kept his hair, straight and clean. He also didn't smell like moldy cheese anymore, but more like an earthy musk. It was intoxicating to her, and she wanted - no - _needed_ to know why.

"And you still like to go sit in the library when you are mad?" Marinette asked with hidden glee. Like gears in a clock, they began to feel more comfortable around one another. Their words came freely and with ease, the years apart melted away with each one.

Adrien started, keeping his cat-like smirk, "You can't expect me to change that much, can you?"

"Well, same goes for me, you know? Honestly, besides making a new friend last year, I have just been going about my life as a Lady."

"New friend huh? Do I know them?"

Marinette giggled, "Do I detect jealousy, Tomcat?"

"I'll have you know, that I have never been jealous of anything in my life," Adrien said, proudfully.

Marinette raised her eyebrow at that last statement, unable to believe such a bold face lie. Not wanting to give up this teasing opportunity, Marinette led him on to see how far she could go.

"They are tall, with light brown skin, and stunning," the Lady began, carefully avoiding the Prince's gaze while she kept going, "Oh! With lovely auburn hair, and a wonderful personality."

She let her eyes fall back to Adrien, whose knee was bouncing up and down quickly. He looked like he was hanging on every word she was saying, with a slight twitch in one of his eyes.

_Right, not jealous uh?_ A wide brimmed grin graced Marinette's face, and she winked at him.

She leaned forward into the chair, purposely keeping up the flirting and teasing. "But if you must know, her name is Lady Alya. She is from one of the southern kingdoms, Domina, near the border of my kingdom."

Mimicking her movement, Adrien leaned towards her too, letting his arms rest on his lap. With his composer regained, he rolled his eyes at Marinette's mocking. He was familiar with the kingdom of Domina, and of Lady Alya's family, though he has never met them.

The Prince stated with happiness, "I hope to meet Lady Alya soon, then. Any friend of my fiancé is a friend of mine, if she likes me that is."

With exploding red cheeks, Marinette guided her head away from the steady green gaze that was twinking with determination and a hint of passion. She did agree earlier to be his bride, but things were still seemingly going too well too soon. When a thought crossed her mind, she spoke with a change of tone.

"What about your father? Is he okay with... 'us'?"

Those words shifted Prince Adrien, his face darkening and his posture stiff. The fire somehow created demons on the walls, as another strike of lighting, closer this time, gave new light to the room. His voice was low and still, "I haven't seen my father all day. I was told he has left the palace again."

Regret from her question radiated through her, "I'm… so sorry, Adrien."

Lady Marinette pondered for a moment, then rose up to go towards her suitcases. Adrien studied her, curious. When she bent over, he forced himself to turn his eyes away to watch the fire instead. Each ember swayed and moved with an elegant combination, the perfection and calmness in the fire made the Prince almost envious.

"Here, I made this for you. Happy Birthday, Prince Adrien."

Marinette held a box in her outstretched hands towards him; it was neatly wrapped in a big red bow with a tag on it that read: 'To Tomcat- With Love, Ladybug'.

Prince Adrien's breath hitched in his throat as he grabbed the present and carefully undid the wrapping. Inside the box, rested a light blue fabric. Soft to the touch, Adrien pulled it out to realize it was a finely made scarf. He could almost feel the effort and love Marinette placed into it, and he fought tears that tried to form in his eyes.

"Th-thank you, my Lady," he stuttered out, placing the cloth around his neck. "You didn't have to do this, though. Seeing you is enough of a present for me."

Touching her continuously warm cheeks, Marinette brushed him off, "Stop it, you tomcat. I was just expecting to give it to you as a wedding gift, but now it seems fitting to celebrate your birthday instead."

Daring to not let this moment be ruined from fear, Prince Adrien got up from his seat and grabbed Lady Marinette's hands softly. When he did, Marinette felt his ring through her fingers. She brought his hand closer to her face, and her eyes shot open when she realized it was in fact, the very same ring.

"You-You are wearing it?" she asked softly, meeting his eyes with sincerity.

"I started a few years back," he answered, bringing her hand that held his to his lips. The soft touch of lips to skin was warm and comforting, melting Marinette at her core. "It gave me hope that I might see you again."

"Adrien, I-"

Adrien's finger came upon her lips, silencing her. He gave her a soft smile and shook his head. With her heart racing in her chest, Marinette stared deeply into her old friend's gaze. The green that greeted her was warm and luscious, and it was begging her, begging her to be here with him from now on.

The Prince pulled her close, enveloping her in a hug. He burrowed his nose into her hair, letting seven years of lost memories come flooding back to him. His scent took over Marinette's senses, and though at first she was stunned, she eventually wrapped her arms around his back. The embrace soothed them both, allowing them to find solace in one another.

The storm outside was calmer for now, though in the distance, rolling thunder began to come with vigor.


	4. A Plan in Motion

Chapter Three

-A Plan in Motion-

When Lady Marinette awoke the next day, eyes heavy from a deep sleep, she wondered why she could smell Prince Adrien all around her. As she rose up from the bed, the realization of where she was jolted her consciousness. This room, this palace, this kingdom. It was as if she was fourteen again, but this time, she longed to see her restless and silly Tomcat more. Recalling their embrace from last night, and how he parted from her with a promise to see her in the morning, Marinette eagerly jumped out of her bed to get ready.

In a haste, she splashed provided water across her face, staring into the vanity mirror as she patted her skin dry. She studied the reflection of the room around her, noting the simplicity of the space. A small prayer of thanks was shot up to the Gods, for Marinette had worried she would end up in her old room, but it seems she was placed in a guest room instead. Her eyes then fell onto a small carving on a wooden wardrobe pressed up against the wall behind her. Grabbing her partlet and her gown, she began to put both on as she gazed at the etchings on the wood.

'_Prince Adrien was here_' it read, in almost unreadable child-like handwriting. Now fully clothed, Marinette held back a giggle from the obvious graffiti of the past. Seems she wasn't the only one who stayed in this room. After one final check over herself, Lady Marinette departed and made her way towards the large dining hall. Smells of breakfast foods wafted through the air; pastries, sausages, and even fluffy fried maple pancakes. In agreement, Marinette's stomach let out a hearty growl as she walked through the doorway of the area.

At the elongated table, sat a few Princesses and Ladies who stayed the night due to the storm. Marinette recognized a few, and wished those good morning while she tried to find a seat. But many of the women gave Marinette deep, hardened stares of jealousy. Refusing to give into their death looks, Marinette took a seat next to a pretty blonde haired woman. She seemed familiar somehow, but Marinette couldn't quite place it.

That was, until the woman turned to her with a repulsed gaze, and said, "Ladybugs aren't allowed at the table."

It was as if a stone dropped through Marinette's stomach, and all the sensation and joy she had felt up till now was casted aside.

"Lady Chloe, how nice to see you again," Lady Marinette began, keeping a clear and solid posture while attending to the breakfast buffet in front of her. She took a small bite of a pancake, refusing to give Chloe her full attention.

Chloe's nose twitched in response, "Adrien has assured me that the wedding is still to occur, but I don't know how long that will last."

She continued, grabbing her goblet as she sipped her morning drink, "You are also not going home anytime soon, due to the large tree that is blocking the road back to the East. We will have to see how long it takes for Adrien to get tired of you before shipping you back home."

Trying to hold back from rolling her eyes and letting out a repulsive groan, Marinette politely replied, "That is quite unfortunate, however; you see, I planned on staying a couple of nights anyway. And it is just as well that Lady Alya from Dominia will be arriving any day now, and she always brings extra outfits."

Chloe let out a strong huff, refusing to comment anymore.

At that moment, King Gabriel, Prince Adrien, and Nathalie arrived through the door with all the Ladies and Princesses rising to greet the King in respect. Marinette sucked in a breath at this reunion, studying the elder King as he made his way to the head of the table. Like his son, King Gabriel had heavy eyelids from lack of sleep and distress. He even wore small glasses on his narrow face now, the wear of time not kind to the poor king. But Marinette also realized how pale and thin the King has become, remembering King Gabriel having a warming aura around him. Now, the only energy the King had was that of sorrow and depression.

"Good morning, Your Graces'," the King welcomed, almost reluctantly as he took his seat. His voice cracked a bit, and he never looked up once.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," the women all said in unison, then took their own seats once more. Marinette stole a glance over at Adrien, who sat across the table from her, meeting his eyes on accident with a warm smile dancing between them. He rose his hand up to wave back and forth at her quickly before anyone saw, which resulted in a small giggle escaping Marinette's lips. She returned it and turned away from him quickly with rosy cheeks.

Nathalie came up beside the King, her glasses resting on the bridge of her nose as she read the parchment papers in her hand to the gathering, "I am here to report that the tree that has fallen on the road back to the East will be moved by tomorrow, however, no other debris from the storm last night have blocked the remaining exits. Those that need to travel are advised to do so after breakfast, for it seems another heavy storm is on the horizon and will most likely be here by this afternoon."

Some of the ladies let out deep groans of irritation and distress. They were hoping for another opportunity to try and sway Prince Adrien, but it seems that is just not going to happen.

Letting out a cough to direction their attention once more, Nathalie began to read from her report, "On behalf of King Gabriel, thank you all for attending the celebration of Prince Adrien's birthday and engagement. Please have safe travels and avoid the Northern Forest at all costs." The mentor of the Prince excused herself at that point and took a stance aloft, still reading through the remaining papers.

Marinette's curiosity peaked at that last statement. Remembering well the many times she, Adrien, and Chloe would go out into the forest to play, there was never a warning to stay away from it until now. In order to try and get some answers, Marinette leaned to her left to the Lady beside her, Lady Alix of Chromium. The short haired, boyish royal was taking a big bite of a pancake and sausage sandwich she combined herself.

"What's in the Northern Forest?" Marinette whispered, letting the poor girl swallow her bite before expecting an answer.

Lady Alix looked rather annoyed that she was interrupted, taking a smaller bite this time before responding, "You don't know? The Northern Forest is guarded by gigatutan statues of apes that are from a time forgotten, that howl and moan at any who come near them."

Prince Adrien looked up from his meal once he heard Princess Ivica speak in from across the table, "I've he'ared d'tat ghosts roam th'ere at night. 'Eople say the Cata'cyls'um Gardens are th'ere." The other women began to mumble and talk among themselves concerning this ghostly tales. The Prince side-eyed his father, wondering if he would comment on any of these rumors. But the King ate in silence, sipping his juice slowly and never looking up.

"The what?" Marinette questioned, tilting her head to the side. She has never heard of these Cataclysm Gardens before.

A hard slam from a goblet on the table caused the whole room to grow quiet, and all eyes turn to Lady Chloe. Her face was red with anger, and she rose up sharply, turning her attention fully to Lady Marinette.

"If you were here these past few years, you would know wouldn't you?!"

Meeting her rival face-to-face, Marinette exclaimed, "I wasn't absent by choice, you insufferable harpy."

Gasps and group 'oohs' reverberated through the table, many knowing this argument was bound to happen sooner or later. Before last night's announcement from Prince Adrien himself, the rumor was that Prince Adrien and Lady Chloe were going to be wed. Many of the women at the table dared not to go near the Prince, for fear of Lady Chloe's wrath upon them. Those that did, well... they knew Chloe carried empty threats.

Chloe's back snapped straight, and she let her words fight for her, "I have been here the entire time, _by choice_. But you wouldn't know that, _Lady Marinette_."

"Enough!"

King Gabriel shouted over the women, standing up to attention. His voice was powerful, drawing the room to a sudden quiet. He began to rub the bridge of his nose in irritation, closing his eyes with a heavy sigh.

"I request that both Lady Chloe and Lady Marinette be excused from the table," Gabriel commanded, gesturing to the house-men that were positioned along the walls to help escort the two ladies out. "Please help these two women to the outside, where they can cool off, and do not have them return unless they regain their manners."

Embarrassment flooded through Marinette, the first time in seven years she sees King Gabriel and she acts like she was in her youth again. She noticed Adrien shoot an apologetic gaze at her as she rose up from the table, as he was twirling his ring with his fingers to calm himself.

With head held low, Marinette walked towards the outside courtyard beside Lady Chloe. Once the two of them were greeted by the simple summer breeze and warmth of the morning sun, Marinette let out a deep and heartfelt sigh. She wrapped her arms around her chest and took a seat upon a half-wall of stone. With last night's little misunderstanding, and now this, Lady Marinette truly wondered if she was meant to be here after all. It seems her presence has only caused trouble for Adrien and his father so far.

Lady Chloe, with her arms crossed, stood with her back to Marinette. Her foot was tapping steadily, and she seemed to be staring at the two house-men who were waiting for either one of them to apologize to the other.

Marinette knew she needed to say _something _but her pride wasn't allowing for an apology to come out of her mouth. She stood up and approached Chloe, keeping her arms across her chest.

"Chloe, I just want to say-"

"Don't bother to say anything, Ladybug," the blonde refused to lock eyes with Marinette.

"Then I'm sorry," Marinette sputtered out, playing with loose strings of her hair in nervousness.

Chloe let out a loud and annoyed huff, tilting her nose into the air as she walked towards the exit they just came out of.

"Chloe!" Marinette tried to cry out to her.

The other woman just did a wave as she walked back inside, the two servants allowing her to pass as they followed Chloe inside as well.

Now alone in the gardens, Marinette let her mind wander through the stone walls and statues around her. The memories of childhood laughter echoed as she strolled onward, her mind allowing her to see the past as it unfolded.

The first summer she came here, she and Adrien were told to walk these gardens together in order to become better acquainted. Somehow wooden swords became involved, and they had their first ever play-fight, which resulted in Marinette accidently tripping into the large swan fountain. Adrien did try to help her out, but she pulled him into the water with her. That was the first time she ever heard him laugh.

When Lady Chloe came into the kingdom, she quickly learned the best methods to make Marinette's summers a living hell. Marinette shivered as she remembered the one day that Chloe thought it would be funny to have a beehive awaiting the young Marinette at a picnic she had to go on with Adrien. The thousands of bees dropped onto their blanket and scattered about, but Adrien laughed it off. He even made his first pun, something about, "That must have stung!" Marinette had to spend a week in the infirmary attending to her stings. But, Adrien actually came and visited her regularly, either because his mother demanded it or because he actually felt sorry for what they did.

Marinette rolled her eyes at younger Adrien's personality, but then passed the large cherry tree that was one of the center pieces of the garden. The last summer here, when her and Adrien were beginning to see one another in a different light, they sat under this tree during one star filled night and just talked. The Prince even threw out some flirty remarks, causing a young Lady to brush it off. Looking back, it should have been obvious they were heading towards this direction of their relationship.

The Lady found herself in front of a new part of the garden, in front of a statue of Queen Emilie herself. The belated Queen was standing on top of a marble platform, holding her hands together, with closed eyes and a small smile. The statue didn't do justice in comparison to Marinette's memories. The softness of the Queen's face nor the warmth of her smile were empty misgivings. An engraving at the bottom read, "_In Loving Memory of a Mother, Wife, and Queen."_

Marinette didn't know how long she was standing there staring; seconds or hours, it didn't matter. Every year since she was away, Marinette wished secretly wished Queen Emilie a happy birthday. The Queen was so kind and warm-hearted to Lady Marinette, almost like a second mother. Time seemed to stand still as the dark-haired woman let some lone tears fall in the presence of the memorial.

It wasn't until a small trickle of rain splashed the top of her head did she break out of her trance. Looking up, she realized that the dark clouds she was warned about at breakfast were right above her now, threatening to let loose their watery confides.

"I thought I would find you here."

Turning back down and around, Lady Marinette was surprised to see Adrien standing nearby, a smile across his lips and an umbrella open to cover him from the oncoming rain. He wore her scarf around his neck loosely, which caused her heart to flutter in her chest. Rain then began to fall steadily from the sky, the water slightly cold.

Marinette just let it wash over her, her feet unable to move while Adrien came closer to her. His eyes were locked onto her, a warmth pooling at the pit of her stomach. The umbrella then began to cover the both of them, and Marinette felt a grin flash across her face. Adrien began to rub her arm with his free hand, his touch trying to get some of the water off.

"I think Mother would be very happy you came back," Adrien stated once more, turning his attention to the statue. "Even if Father has left the palace again."

Marinette could feel his loneliness, and anxiety caused knots in her stomach, "He left, again?! He was just here this morning."

Adrien just shrugged,turning his eyes back to Marinette, "I'm used to it, my Lady."

His words tugged at the Lady's heartstrings, then the rain began to come down louder and harder.

"Come on, my Lady, let's head inside," Adrien said, grabbing Marinette by the hand softly. His touch was comforting, and she squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"You and me should probably make up for all these lost years," The Lady remarked with a coy smirk. The Prince looked a bit surprised at first, but returned the gesture. He placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand that was occupied with his, her skin tingling whether from the cold rain or the warmth of his touch.

"Of course, Lady Marinette."

A shout in the rain caused both of them to turn attention to the outside entrance of the courtyard.

"Your HIGHNESS! QUICKLY! YOUR FATHER! AN ACCIDENT!"

It was the Captain of the Royal Guard, Kim Syreni, who was screaming through the pounding rain. Blood was dripping to the ground from his leg, and he held a bruise over his left eye. Even his armour was astray, dented and coming off. Kim fell to his knees, letting out uneven shaking breaths.

Marinette felt Adrien let go of her hand, as the two of them rushed together to come closer to the wounded man. Handing the umbrella off to Marinette, who grabbed it with both hands tightly and tried to keep it over all three of them, Prince Adrien knelt down to grab onto the Captain.

"Captain Kim, center yourself. What happened to my father?!" Adrien commanded, trying to keep the weary man steady. The loss of blood was beginning to take effect, and Kim began to flutter his eyes in and out of consciousness.

"We-We were attacked," Captain Kim braced his arm onto Adrien's shoulder, "A large bird or beast. On the road to the Northern Forest." As those last words came, Kim let his body win and fell onto Adrien's chest unconscious. The Prince looked up at Marinette, his voice laced with serious intentions.

"Stay here and attend to the Captain. I am going to go find my father."

Marinette's voice came through, her heart beating to the sound of the rain, "But-Adrien, that's too far, you'll never make it."

"I have to try," was all the Prince stated before letting Kim fall softly onto the ground, then standing up to begin a mighty sprint towards the direction the Captain came from.

Marinette stood there for just a split second, her mind and body unable to coexist together, trying to process what just happened. She gazed down at the wounded man below her, his blood pooling under his leg severely. With no time to waste, she bent down and grabbed him by the under arm, grateful for her weight training and first aid knowledge. Once she had the Captain safely under the stone archway of the door to the palace, and ripped a piece of her own dress to wrap up his wound, did she decide on her next course of action. Banging her hand against the wooden frame hard, Marinette took the gamble that a staff member would be nearby to hear. Footsteps on the other side of the door proved her right, however, she didn't have time to wait to speak to them. Dropping the umbrella completely, and letting the adrenaline that fueled her now to take over, Lady Marinette took off in a run after her beloved Tomcat.

While her knowledge of this path to the Northern forest was seven years out of date, she let her feet guide her onward with strikes of lighting and gallops of thunder matching in tune with each pounding step she took. Soon enough, through narrowed eyes, she spotted an overturned carriage and broken tree limbs on the path. As she came closer, it was indeed the carriage of the King, broken in half and missing a few wheels.

"Adrien! ADRIEN!" Marinette began to scream, racing through the debris to try and spot the Prince or even King Gabriel.

"Damnit, Tomcat! Answer me!"

A soft moan from a nearby fallen tree rippled through the area, and Marinette rushed over to find an elderly man stuck by his legs under the tree's trunk. The man was unfamiliar, with a receding silver hair line and cracked broken glasses on his face. He must have been the driver of the coach, for he had flower petal printed driver attire on.

" Sir?! Can you hear me?" Marinette asked, as she tried to get the tree off of him through slippery fingers.

"La-Lady Marinette," the man moaned out loud, turning his head and opening his eyes to face her. "You-You need to get out of here."

"What happened here?!" she demanded, finally lifting the tree just enough for it to roll off. The man let out a painful scream, settling back down with shaky breaths. Marinette reached for the man's hand, squeezing tightly to let him know she was still here.

"He is not what he seems. He is not what HE seems. He is NOT what he seems," the man began to chant, shaking his head back and forth with his words. He was becoming delusional, the pain from his crushed legs obviously causing hallucinations.

"Sir! Can you look at me? Please, did you see the Prince come this way?" Marinette pleaded, hoping the driver would retain that memory. She gave a hard squeeze to the man's hand, trying to bring him back to reality.

"The Prince?" the driver replied, his voice confused at Marinette's words.

"Yes, Prince Adrien. Where is he? He came to help!"

The driver's eyes shot open, and he tried to lift himself up only to fall back down.

"Prince Adrien is-is," a cough came from the man's mouth, before his final words came out with his last breath, "Adrien is-is-gone."

Lady Marinette stared blankly at the limp hand gripped in her own. She lowered her head in respect, tears threatening to swell up in her eyes. Placing his hand over his chest and sending a comforting prayer for his soul to be at peace, Marinette arose to face the area once more.

This man had seen the attacker, had seen Prince Adrien, but now, the Prince was gone?

The rain began to halt to a slight drizzle, letting Marinette's eyes scan the wreck better for signs that Adrien could still be alive. And there, hung and ripped on a sharp tree branch, was the scarf she gave Adrien flapping wildly in the wind.


End file.
